"The first of June! The Kings are off to the seashore tomorrow, and I'm free. Three months' vacation—how I Shall enjoy it!" exclaimed Meg, coming home one warm day to find Jo laid upon the sofa in an unusual state of exhaustion, while Beth took off her dusty boots, and Amy made lemonade for the refreshment of the whole party.
"Aunt March went today, for which, oh, be joyful!" said Jo. "I was mortally afraid she'd ask me to go with her. If she had, I should have felt
as if I ought to do it, but Plumfield is about as gay as a churchyard, you
know, and I'd rather be excused. We had a flurry getting the old lady off,
and I had a fright every time she spoke to me, for I was in such a hurry to
be through that I was uncommonly helpful and sweet, and feared she'd find it impossible to part from me. I quaked till she was fairly in the carriage, and had a final fright, for as it drove of, she popped out her head, saying, 'Josyphine, won't you—?' I didn't hear any more, for I basely turned and fled. I did actually run, and whisked round the corner where I felt safe."
"Poor old Jo! She came in looking as if bears were after her," said Beth,
as she cuddled her sister's feet with a motherly air. "Aunt March is a regular samphire, is she not?" observed Amy, tasting her mixture critically.
"She means vampire, not seaweed, but it doesn't matter. It's too warm to
be particular about one's parts of speech," murmured Jo.
"What shall you do all your vacation?" asked Amy, changing the subject
with tact.
"I shall lie abed late, and do nothing," replied Meg, from the depths of
the rocking chair. "I've been routed up early all winter and had to spend my
days working for other people, so now I'm going to rest and revel to my heart's content."
"No," said Jo, "that dozy way wouldn't suit me. I've laid in a heap of
books, and I'm going to improve my shining hours reading on my perch in
the old apple tree, when I'm not having l——"
"Don't say 'larks!'" implored Amy, as a return snub for the 'samphire'
correction.
"I'll say 'nightingales' then, with Laurie. That's proper and appropriate,
since he's a warbler."
"Don't let us do any lessons, Beth, for a while, but play all the time and
rest, as the girls mean to," proposed Amy.
"Well, I will, if Mother doesn't mind. I want to learn some new songs,
and my children need fitting up for the summer. They are dreadfully out of
order and really suffering for clothes."
"May we, Mother?" asked Meg, turning to Mrs. March, who sat sewing
in what they called 'Marmee's corner'.
"You may try your experiment for a week and see how you like it. I
think by Saturday night you will find that all play and no work is as bad as
all work and no play."
"Oh, dear, no! It will be delicious, I'm sure," said Meg complacently.
"I now propose a toast, as my 'friend and pardner, Sairy Gamp', says.
YOU ARE READING
Little women
Teen Fiction"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcoll Clarification The original story and all its rights belong to Louisa May Alcott, under no point of view we want to keep the credits of this story, we only share it for Wattpad. Little Women is the story of the Ma...
